Closing out Season 50 of Saturday Night Live, seven-time host Scarlet Johansson was joined by Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny. The end to SNL’s 50th season was impressive from cold open to the goodnights, with one sketch delivered mostly in Spanish.
Behind the scenes, carpenter Stephen “Demo” DeMaria celebrated his final show, having worked on SNL since the first episode and retiring after 50 years. DeMaria would be the biggest departure announced thus far, as no cast members have announced they are officially leaving now that the season is complete.
Following a cold open with James Austin Johnson parodying the recent trip to the Middle East for the sitting president, Johansson was joined during her monologue by the full cast, singing alternate lyrics to the tune of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man,” referencing the 50th season of SNL.
Bad Bunny made his first appearance of the night during Please Don’t Destroy’s “First Class,” appearing as a novice air traffic controller at ill-fated Newark International Airport.
In what could be a first for SNL, Bad Bunny appeared in a sketch that was primarily in Spanish, as Bad Bunny and Marcello Hernandez discussed in Spanish the struggles they face with their respective girlfriends.
An elevator ride sketch was a throwback to 2005, where Mike Myers had an uncomfortable moment during a Hurricane Katrina fundraiser with Kanye West. Myers nailed his own role from 20 years ago, while Kenan Thompson played Kanye, offering the most awkward reunion possible to Myers.
For Bad Bunny’s first song of the night, the stage recreated the iconic photo “Lunch atop a Skyscraper,” with his ‘co-workers’ doubling as the original immigrant ironworkers from the photo. Bad Bunny performed a New York-centric “NUEVAYoL” while wearing a NY Knicks hat, the backdrop giving the appearance he and others were swaying above a black and white NYC skyline. The location of this steel beam in the photo is above Rockefeller Center, currently a ride dubbed “The Beam,” offering 360′ views of New York City, just above present day 30 Rock, home of SNL.
Weekend Update was among the best this season, with the semi-annual joke swap between Colin Jost and Michael Che an all-time great back and forth, with Scarlet Johansson appearing for Che’s ‘apology.’
The reggaeton “PERFuMITO NUEVO” featured Puerto Rican singer RaiNao, set in a graffitied club bathroom. RaiNao sang seductively about seeking something new, while Bad Bunny appeared from a stall, asking about her new perfume and seeking a new connection. Both tracks appear on Bad Bunny’s 2025 release, Debí Tirar Más Fotos.
The 51st season of Saturday Night Live begins in late September. Stay tuned for hosts and musical guests as they’re announced.
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